


Go On, Then

by Miss_Romance_Lover



Category: Emmerdale, robron
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-27
Updated: 2016-05-27
Packaged: 2018-07-10 14:34:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,249
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6989173
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Miss_Romance_Lover/pseuds/Miss_Romance_Lover
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's Aaron's birthday and Robert has a special present for him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Go On, Then

“He couldn’t resist me,” Robert finishes telling Liv the story of how he and Aaron first ‘got together’. Aaron scoffs at him.

“Yeah, okay. Keep telling yourself that,” he says with a shake of the head. “But who called who pretending their car had broken down?”

Liv looks highly amused. She turns back to look at Robert, one eyebrow raised. “You did that?”

The man catches Aaron’s eye, sharing a secret smile. He’s sure his face has turned red. “No comment,” he replies awkwardly.

Victoria is in earshot and has wandered over, laughing. “Seriously, Rob? What did you do, lure Aaron on that call out just so you could have your wicked way with him? I was the one you rang asking for his number. I can’t believe you!”

Robert shoots his boyfriend a look that says, ‘help me out here’. But Aaron is too busy chuckling. They’re all in the Woolpack, having a private celebration for his birthday, and it’s the first time he can remember thoroughly enjoying himself at a party. The first time he hasn’t had some kind of worry hanging over his shoulders when his birthday has come around. 

He thinks briefly back to the year before, to the family gathering his mum had put on for him. He remembers how distracted he’d been and how Gordon had just come back into their lives. So much has changed for the better since then, and Robert has been a big part of that. He knows he should probably rescue him from this embarrassing conversation but it’s just too much fun seeing him squirm.

“Alright, fine, I did the chasing!” Robert suddenly announces, holding his hands up in defeat at all the teasing. Aaron looks up in surprise as he continues. “It was me who couldn’t resist Aaron.” 

The pub falls silent, and the younger man immediately puts down his empty bottle of beer and goes to stand in front of Robert. Liv cringes from her seat. “Great, they’re gonna start snogging right here next to me, aren’t they?” she says to the room.

Aaron rolls his eyes, and Vic swoops in to distract his little sister, leaving the two men alone with each other. He slides into the vacated seat and gives Robert a sly smile.

“So that was…interesting,” he tells him.

“Have I embarrassed you?”

“No,” he says honestly. “No it was…unexpected, that’s all.”

“Well you dug me a hole there, had to shut them all up somehow.”

“With the truth, yeah?”

Robert grins at him. “Oh it’s definitely the truth. But I still say you found me just as irresistible.”

Aaron leans up to whisper in his ear. “Very sure of yourself, aren’t you? Cocky git.”

“You’re not making me feel very loved, here. Guess you don’t want your birthday present.”

With a frown, Aaron crosses his arms over his chest. “I thought I told you not to get me anything.”

“And I thought I told you…since when did I listen to anything you say?” His eyes twinkle with the words and Aaron recalls that first time he’d heard those words from him. 

“So where is this present, then?” he asks, relenting. 

“Later,” Robert replies quietly, pressing a kiss to his temple. He gestures towards the bar where Chas is heading their way with a cake and lighted candles. “Looks like you’re wanted.”

It’s hours before Aaron finds out anything more about Robert’s birthday gift. The Dingles, Adam and Vic have finally gone home and Chas, Charity, Liv and Noah have all gone to bed. They’re alone together in the backroom and Robert is making them coffee. 

“God, we’re boring,” Aaron sighs. “It’s barely midnight on a Friday night and we’ve switched from beer to coffee. Must be getting old.”

Robert brings their mugs over and sits down beside him. “Maybe. But I’m actually glad we didn’t drink too much tonight.”

“Why’s that?”

“So I’ll be able to remember giving you your present.”

Aaron takes a sip of coffee. “So it is here, then,” he says, looking around the room as if expecting the mysterious gift to materialise in front of him.

What he’s not expecting is for Robert to reach for his leather jacket on the sofa, delve into one of the pockets and produce a small black box. “Yes, it’s here,” he answers with a smile.

“What’s that?” Aaron gives him an odd look. 

Robert hands the box to him. “Have a look.”

There’s warmth flooding though him as he holds it in his hands. He feels strange, but safe with it. He can’t find any words as he opens the box to find a simple silver ring inside.

“I hope it’s not too flashy for you,” Robert is saying as he stares at it, open mouthed. “Took me a while to choose the right one.”

Aaron tears his eyes away from it to look at him. He still can’t speak.

Robert longs to know what he’s thinking, but goes on with his speech anyway. “It’s exactly what you think it is, by the way. I know it might feel too soon, or maybe you don’t even want any of this but I thought, well, what if you do want it? I’m rambling…” he trails off, self-conscious now. 

When Aaron takes the silver band out of the box to look more closely, Robert swallows his nerves to continue.

“I want to marry you, Aaron,” he says simply. “Look on the inside of the ring.”

The younger man lets out a shaky breath, still trying to take in what he’s just heard. When he searches inside the band, he finds a single word inscribed: 

‘Always’.

“I know,” Aaron whispers tearfully. It’s the word Robert has always used in answer whenever he’s thanked him for being there throughout the nightmares of the last year.

Robert gently takes the ring from his shaking hands, and Aaron wipes at his eyes. “You’re not gonna get down on one knee, are you? ‘Cos that is so not us.”

He laughs, shaking his head. “No, but I am gonna do this,” he emphasises as he picks up the other man’s hand and squeezes it. “I love you, Aaron Dingle. I want to be your husband. Will you marry me?”

There’s only the briefest of pauses before he gets his answer: “go on, then.”

Incredulous, Robert lets go of his hand, though his eyes light up at the thought that Aaron hasn’t refused him point blank. “’Go on then?’ Is that all I get?”

“I could tell you to ‘do one’ if you’d rather?”

“I see your point,” Robert sighs. “But just so I’m clear, that was Aaron-speak for yes?”

Aaron’s eyes are fixed upon the ring again as he answers. “Yeah. You gonna give me that now then, or what?”

“The least you can do is let me put it on for you! Let me have my moment here,” he teases.

“It’s my birthday, it’s meant to be my moment. But okay, if you must.” Rolling his eyes, he holds out his hand, but his face changes when Robert slides the ring onto his finger. He feels different. Different in a good way.

He holds his hand in front of his face, just staring. Taking it in.

Robert nudges him. “You alright?”

Aaron nods. He pulls Robert towards him, kissing him in a way that he hopes gets the message across. Not only is he alright; he’s deliriously happy. There’s a first time for everything.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope this wasn't too soppy! With all the glorious interviews we've had this week, and the suggestions of a future wedding, I wanted to try a proposal story. Please drop me a comment and let me know what you think. And thank you again to everyone who's commented on my previous stories and left Kudos :)


End file.
